PS Advisor: Backing Plate and Self-tapping Screw Tips
Athreaded backing plate is a common approach to eliminating nuts in through bolts. We’ve used threaded backing plates for mounting jammers to thin-walled spars...
Mailport: winch handle holders; pets on board
THE WINCH HOLSTER
With regards to your recent report on winch handle holders (see “Winch Handle Holders,” PS July/August 2023), another approach to winch handle...
PS Advisor: Combatting Mildew on a Moored Boat
In your recent report “Understanding Dew Point to Prevent Mildew,” (see Inside Practical Sailor blog) there is the comment, “curiously, the best way to...
Mailport: Tillers, bilge pumps, and lazy jacks
REDUCING CHAIN TWIST
With regards to responses to your Inside PS blog post on chain twist “How Well Do Swivels Reduce Chain Twist?” as with...
PS Advisor: Using Acids to Clean Propellers
We recently received a letter from a reader asking us which acids might be used to clean a bronze propeller. Although we’ve found it...
Mailport: Tillers, bilge pumps, and lazy jacks
TILLERS VS. WHEEL
I sailed a Yankee 30 for 10 years — tiller steering — and recently moved up to a “big sister” of the...
PS Advisor: Complacency and the Experienced Sailor
The past few years have made it clear that age and experience doesn’t necessarily translate into safety on the water. In fact, a number...
Mailport: Winch Maintenance, Painting Jib, DIY Mainsail Cover
BLANKET WINCH SERVICE
Regarding your blog post “Simple Tips on Servicing Your Sailboat Winches,” I do my winches every two years when the boat is...
PS Advisor: Tacking and Jibing with a Tiller Pilot
In very light winds the tiller pilot will make corrections that are too small and the boat will not turn quickly enough to complete...
Mailport: Charley Morgan, Locker Safety, Fast Bottom Paint
SALUTE TO CHARLEY MORGAN
Regarding your memorial to Charley Morgan and his enduring boat designs (see “Eight Bells for Charley Morgan,” PS February 2023), your praise for...
Lagoon 55 – The Perfect Charter Boat for Your Caribbean Vacation
Looking for the ultimate sailing vacation in the Caribbean? Step aboard the Lagoon 55, a modern catamaran that combines luxury, comfort, and performance—making it...
Latest Sailboat Review
Irwin Citation 34 Used Boat Review
The Irwin 34 is in many respects a typical Irwin boat. It was originally called the "Citation 34," which was meant to indicate that it was more of a plush cruiser than the race-oriented Irwins at the time, but more of a racer than the larger cruisers. According to the company, 305 Irwin 34s were built in the production run, from 1978 to 1985, a moderate but successful model for the era. Near the end of its production, the boat was advertised as the Irwin 34 rather than the Citation 34. There were no major changes in the boat from beginning to end, just the details and equipment that are typical of any long production run.